Changes to the Australian content and children’s television standards - consultation 35/2020

After considering all submissions, the ACMA has made the Broadcasting Services (Australian Content and Children’s Television) Standards 2020.

IFC 35/2020 Submissions (5.07 MB)

The new standards have been registered on the Federal Register of Legislation and commence on 1 January 2021. Find out more about the standards.

On 30 September 2020, the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts announced a package of new measures to support Australian content on all screens and reflect the new ways that Australians access and consume content in a digital media environment.

These measures include changes to the obligations on commercial television licensees under the Australian Content Standard and Children’s Television Standards.

The Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts has directed us to revoke and remake the Australian Content Standard and Children’s Television Standards, so that the new rules take effect on 1 January 2021.

The ACMA must comply with the minister’s direction.

We welcome comment from interested stakeholders on implementation issues raised by the draft standards, including how the issues might be resolved, and suggestions for streamlining and improving the clarity of the obligations detailed in the draft standards.

Submissions are due by 7 December 2020. Due to the tight timeframe for implementation, extensions will not be granted.